The video here excerpting my E3 interview with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime includes me asking him where "New Super Mario Bros. 2" is for the DS. He says it's in Shigeru Miyamoto's brain. Click play for more banter on WiiWare, Wii hardware supply and more. Notice what makes him laugh!
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Multiplayer: People were looking for "New Super Mario Brothers 2." Where is it?
Fils-Aime: It's in Mr. Miyamoto's brain.
Multiplayer: [laughing] Well, you've got to get it in the development kits. What about WiiWare? It wasn't talked about at all. What's the story there?
Fils-Aime: WiiWare continues. Every week we have new WiiWare titles coming and that's going to continue to be the progression for quite some time. We really wanted to focus this E3 on packaged product and product that was happening in the marketplace this holiday season, so that is why WiiWare wasn't discussed.
Multiplayer: There are going to be a lot more WiiWare games, right?
Fils-Aime: Absolutely. Every Monday.
Multiplayer: To what extent should people be expecting there to be first-party content coming out in the rest of the year. Or is this going to continue to be primarily a third-party service?
Fils-Aime: When we developed WiiWare our focus, as we discussed, was on smaller developers, brand new content, different types of content. Will we put out the occasional first-party WiiWare? Absolutely. But it's predominantly meant to be much more exploratory, experimental and for these brand new third-party developers.
Multiplayer: Let's go back to DS, third-party. "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Stories." How'd that come about? When did that conversation begin?
Fils-Aime: You know, we have had a long-term relationship with TakeTwo. We've had many conversations with the folks at Rockstar. This is a project they wanted to make. We're thrilled to have it on the platform.
Multiplayer: 2D? 3D? What's it going to be like?
Fils-Aime: You know the folks at Rockstar. And so we think it's best for them to tell the story of what that software's going to be. They can certainly do a better job of bringing it to life and do a much better job explaining the back story than I can.
Multiplayer: Given that just before you guys announced "Grand Theft Auto" for the DS you guys were talking about how the gender ration was balancing out and more and more women are playing DS. They're not typically "GTA" players. Do you expect "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Stories" to sell as well as the PSP "GTA"s? Or is the demographic of the DS give this game the potential to be the best-selling of the "GTA" portables?
Fils-Aime: Look at it this way, Stephen. Right now 20 million installed base in the U.S. for the DS. Fifty-two percent are male. That's over a 10 million installed base to sell a "GTA" title into. We expect that title to sell phenomenally well on our platform. And that's why we're thrilled to have it come.
Multiplayer: Is it going to outsell the other two? Do you want to make a pledge?
Fils-Aime: I can't make a pledge until I see the game. Certainly what I would say is, if the game is strong -- and we fully expect it to be -- that the potential given our installed base is phenomenal for this title.
Multiplayer: So there's no lingering issues with -- several E3's ago -- "GTA" being talked about as a game that it seemed like Mr. Iwata wasn't interested in having on Nintendo platforms? And there was the old "Mario doesn't shoot hookers" line. That's all over? You guys didn't have to make any amends with Rockstar in order to get this game?
Fils-Aime: I've been asked about this. And it happened before my time. All I can tell you is that since the day I walked in the door, I've had a very good relationship with the folks at Take Two, continue to have a good relationship. And so in our view we want just the best content coming on our platforms. Period. End of story.
Multiplayer: Can Nintendo system owners take this sign of a DS "GTA" coming out as a sign that there is an increased chance or any plans for there to be a "GTA" on the Wii?
Fils-Aime: You know, a "GTA" on the Wii is all based on what Rockstsar and Take Two want to do. And again, from our standpoint, if they build a bottoms-up game that takes advantage of what we do well, I'd love to see it on the platform.
Multiplayer: But have you had any conversations with them about that?
Fils-Aime: I have not had any of those conversations.
Multiplayer: You didn't talk much about hardware availability. It's still hard to get a Wii. You guys are selling a lot of them anyways, so somehow somebody is finding ways to get them. What update can you provide in terms of availability of hardware and how that's going to proceed through the holiday season?
Fils-Aime: Sure. We've increased our production capacity to 2.4 million units per month. Just stop and think about that for a second. Two-point-four million units per month on a worldwide basis. What's the current installed base of the PS3 in the U.S.?
Multiplayer: I'm not…
Fils-Aime: [laughs] Five million. Just to put it in perspective just how much we're putting into the marketplace. That's a 30% increase versus where we were this point last year. From our standpoint 30% more product flowing into the marketplace. What we don't know is how much more will demand spike. To a certain extent, we have been our own worst enemy because we've launched "Galaxy" and "Smash Brothers" and "Kart" and "Wii Fit." And we continue to drive up this demand. So do I feel good that we've got 30% more product flowing into the marketplace? Absolutely. Can I tell every consumer that they'll be able to find one this holiday? I can't. And so we will do the absolutely best we can. We'll flow it into the market. And we'll continue to look to satisfy what seems to be an insatiable demand for Wii hardware.
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